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FRAXXISCO PIZARRO, CONQUEROR OF PERU 

(From the original painting in the palace of the viceroys at Lima) 

2 



Cl)e lakegfDe ^etieg of aBngii0b EeaPfngg 

OCEAN STORIES 

Following the 
Conquerors 



THE STORY OF 

THE CARIBBEAN SEA 

IVith an Introduction 



By 
CARRIE G. AINSWORTH 



Chicago 
AINSWORTH & COMPANY 



/ 



./)5 



Copyrif^ht 1922 

by 

AINSWORTH and COMPANY 



FEB l^ 1922 

©n!.A653844 



-w^ ^ 



FOREWORD 

This volume is the first of a Series of 
Ocean Stories and will be followed by 
a Series of Stories of the Pacific. 

This volume of Ocean Stories having 
to do with the early Spanish Explorers 
and Conquerors, it seemed not out of 
place to insert as our frontispiece the 
portrait of Francisco Pizarro as distin- 
guished from the generally accepted 
ideas that the early Spanish Conquerors 
were always arrayed in armor and 
helmet. 

The publishers desire to express their 
thanks and cordial appreciation of cour- 
tesies shown by the United Fruit Com- 
pany whose excellent map of the Carib- 
bean Sea appears in this volume and 
many beautiful illustrations. 

Also to the editor of the "Spirit of 
Missions," a publication of the Episcopal 
Church, who has cordially cooperated 
with us and to whom we are under obli- 
gation for the map of the Canal Zone 
and the reproduction of views of San 
Domingo, Porto Rico, and the Virgin 
Islands. 

C. G. A. 



'•• f 



"All travel has its advantages. If the 
traveler visits better countries, he may learn 
to improve his own; and if fortune carries 
him to zvorse, may learn to enjoy his own." 

"The use of travel is to regulate imagina- 
tion by reality, and instead of thinking how 
things may be, to see them as they are." — 

TOHNSON. 



INTRODUCTION 

Some considerations relative to the periods of dis- 
covery and colonization will be taken up in this article. 
In teaching periods, keep in mind the following 
thoughts of Professor McMaster : "The motive of 
discovery ; the efifect of discovery upon geographical 
ideas of the time ; the reason why the four great mari- 
time powers of Europe came into possession of our 
country; why the Dutch acquired the Hudson; why 
the Spaniards occupied the Gulf Coast ; the English 
the Atlantic Coast ; the French, the Great Lakes and 
the Mississippi ; and the profound and lasting influ- 
ence that the particular arrangement of European 
settlers had on our latter history — these are the things 
it concerns us to know, rather than the doings of par- 
ticular men and the Indian wars of particular 
colonies." 

THE SPANIARDS 

By the latter part of the Fifteenth Century, Spain 
had long been seeking to discover a new route to 
India. After the voyage of Columbus and of the 
earlier explorers. Spain claimed its possessions in 
America, on the Papal Bull which declared that all 
land west of 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde 
Islands should belong to Spain. The theory was 
that Portugal should continue her voyages of discov- 
ery and claims for possessions of land to the Eastward 



by a path around Africa, and Spain all land to the 
Westward. The Canary Islands belong to Spain, and 
it was from this point that her explorers sailed tak- 
ing advantage of the trade winds. The Spanish ex- 
plorers confined their \oyages largely to the Caribbean 
Sea and to the Gulf of Mexico because the first voy- 
age of Columbus was made easily and safely and it 
was thought that the Spice Islands would still be 
found in the western part of the Atlantic and that 
the discovery of a water route was still possible. 
Then, too, Mexico and South America were found 
to yield gold. Settlements were made at the mouth 
of the La Platte River because through this river 
access was furnished to the mines on the plateau of 
New Grenada now known as Uoliyia, and a settlement 
was made on the coast of Venezuela in 1499 'it Lake 
Maricaibo on account of the pearl fisheries. Settle- 
ments were made at St. Augustine in Florida, and 
the country was occupied to protect the homeward 
bound ships coming from the ports of the Caribbean 
Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Spain itself was a 
sparsely populated country and its position in the 
New World was not well maintained or largely ex- 
tended, due in great part to the fact that a country- 
having a small population would not be successful in 
establishing', organizing" and h(.)lding new colonies. 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction 7 

On Shipboard 11 

Ocean Currents 14 

Ponce de Leon 17 

Pamphilo de Narvaez 19' 

Map of Caribbean Sea 26 

The West Indies 26 

Amerigo Vespucci 27 

In the Track of the Trade Winds 33 

Haiti and San Domingo 35 

Porto Rico 42 

The Virgin Islands 45 

South America 49 

Colombia 50 

The Canal Zone 55 

Gatun Dam and Locks 63 

The Culebra Cut 65 

Miraflores Locks 67 

Story of Alonzo de Ojeda 70 



THE STORY OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA 

LEAVING HOME 

Our good steamer put off to sea in the afternoon 
and sailed down historic Chesapeake Bay at night, 
guided on its way by the flashing lights and buoys. 
In the early dawn we left on our right Hampton 
Roads, where was fought the battle of the Monitor 
and the Merrimac, and, passing out between Cape 
Henry and Cape Charles, reached the broad At- 
lantic. 

ON SHIPBOARD 

The first act after leaving the dock is to investigate 
one's stateroom and make the acquaintance of the 
unknown roommate. Travel was very heavy on this 
particular trip so instead of selecting what one wanted 
you took what you could get. The staterooms for 
first-class passengers have two bed berths, one on each 
side of the cabin. There are two wash bowls and 
two closets, and everything necessary for your com- 
fort. I found my roommate to be an interesting 
young woman from Rhode Island, and we were soon 
very agreeable companions. Then followed the call 
to dinner. Everyone responded and ate heartily of a 
well-prepared meal. Each stateroom has assigned to 
it a room boy who looks after your needs while on 
the voyage. A bath boy has charge of a certain num- 

11 



12 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 



ber of rooms. He prepares the bath water and desig- 
nates the time one may take his bath. Another boy 
is given you as your dining-room boy and he waits 
on you at your meals. Upon leaving the ship, you are 




A United Fruit Company Ship. 

expected to give liberal fees to the Steward and Stew- 
ardess and the particular boys who have so willingly 
and well attended to your needs. 

You find many of your traveling companions miss- 
ing at meals the second day. They prefer to remain 
in their berths and many of them do so for the first 
few days on account of seasickness or cold weather. 
As the boat gets into warmer climate, the deck becomes 
very popular and the deck steward sees that your 
steamer chair is placed where you will be most com- 



A DAY ON SHIPBOARD 1 3 

fortable. He also makes arrangement for the deck 
games. For shuttle board, he draws on the deck with 
chalk the figures for the game ; as this game gives 
one a good deal of exercise, it is a popular one. Deck 
tennis is also a strenuous game. A net is put up 
across part of the deck. The game is not played 
with racket and ball but with small rings or hard 
rope which must be thrown over a staple on the deck. 
In the receation room, cards, dominos, and other 
table games are played. The boat has on board 
twelve musicians who furnish the music for meals and 
dancing. The Captain appoints a social committee, 
composed of men and women passengers. This com- 
mittee plans the social events on the voyage. Dancing 
and cards are on the program for every e\ening. 
Once a week there is a formal dress ball or masquer- 
ade party, or a concert in the social hall. During 
the voyage athletic contest games are played. A rec- 
ord is kept of each player, and at the end of the 
trip prizes are awarded to the best players. All 
holidays are celebrated in the social hall with music 
and speeches suitable to the day, and a special dinner 
is also prepared. One of the great dinners of the 
trip is the Captain's dinner, given the night before 
landing. On Sundays, religious services are held. If 
a priest of the Roman Church is on board, he holds 
mass in the early morning. Other denominations hold 
service at eleven o'clock. If no clergyman is on board, 
the Captain holds the service. Ships going through 
warm countries have put up a large canvas swimming 
tank. This is filled each day with fresh sea water. 
A large number of the passengers go in swimming 



14 FOLLOW I. \(; CUE CONQUERORS 

every day and have great sport trying to play tricks 
on each other in the water. The life on a long voy- 
age is something like a large hotel at the sea shore. 
In our journey to the Canal Zone, or Panama, we 
followed the eastern coast line until, passing Cape Hat- 
teras, we steered more directly to the south ; thjs was 
for the purpose of keeping out of the course of the 
Gulf Stream which would materially have delayed our 
passage since the current would bear us to the north 
and east. We sailed to the westward of the Bermuda 
Islands and sighting the lighthouse at the easternmost 
point of the Island of Cuba, we kept our course to 
the south passing Haiti and San Domingo on our 
way to Porto Rico. 

OCEAN CURRENTS 

THE GULF STREAM 

After passing Cape Hatteras the coast line of the 
United States turns ofif sharply to the Southwest while 
our course to the south carries us across the Gulf 
Stream which here strikes off from the American 
Coast toward Newfoundland. 

The Gulf Stream is the most important and best 
known of the Great Ocean Currents, taking its name 
from the Gulf of Mexico, out of which it flows be- 
tween the coast of Florida on the one side and Cuba, 
the Bahama Islands, and the shoal portion of the At- 
lantic Ocean on the other side. 

At its narrowest portion it has a breadth of fifty 
miles and is of great depth. It is supposed that it 
has hollowed out for itself a definite channel because 



THE GULF STREAM I5 

of the sudden increase of depth at its edges where 
deep-sea soundings have been made. It has at times 
a velocity of five miles per hour, pouring along like 
an immense river. 

COLOR 

The Gulf Stream is of deep indigo blue in color 
and is sharply defined in its early course against the 
light green of the ocean. 

It abounds with masses of sea weed torn from the' 
coral rocks of the Florida straits through which it 
passes at its greatest speed and in its warm currents 
are multitudes of fish and living organisms. It has 
a warmth of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, which is several 
degrees warmer than the ocean at the Equator, and 
it retains this heat, until ofif the Coast of Labrador, 
when it falls to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In midwinter 
between Cape Hatteras and Newfoundland ships 
coated with ice and beaten back by the northwest 
winds frequently turn back to the Gulf Stream and 
seek relief from their distress in its warmer water. 
The color suddenly changing from green to blue — 
the climate from winter to summer — so sudden is the 
change that it is said when a ship crosses the line, 
two thermometers, one at bow and one at stern, show 
a difference of 30 degrees of temperature. 

At a certain depth the water of the ocean is of 
a uniform temperature and there seems little reason to 
suppose that ocean currents are caused by the rising 
of heated water to the surface. 

The current in the Mediterranean is caused by the 
evaporation — more water passes into vapor than is 



l6 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

supplied by the rivers of Europe which flow into it. 
This waste is offset by a strong inward current from 
the Atlantic Ocean but the evaporation causes the 
water of the Mediterranean to be strongly charged 
with salt, thus becoming heavier than the in-flowing 
surface water and creating an undercurrent which in 
turn flows into the Atlantic Ocean. . 

The winds of the Mid-Atlantic blow strongly from 
east to west over the Tropical Seas and drive the cur- 
rent to the American Coast, where it divides at the 
Eastern Cape of Brazil and the greater portion bends 
to the north carrying the currents of the great rivers 
Amazon and Orinoco, passing through the Carib- 
bean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico. These warm 
waters are heaped up in this great circular basin 
1,500 miles in diameter and are further heated until 
they rush out through their only outlets, the Florida 
Straits. 

EFFECT 

The great difference in temperature between the 
eastern shores of the I'nited States and the western 
shores of the Continent of Europe has been attributed 
in great part to the Gulf Stream. Such an immense 
body of heated water in the northeast Atlantic Ocean 
must raise the temperature and to this importation of 
tropical sunshine is due to a certain extent the per- 
petual green of Ireland, the soft, moist climate of 
England and Scotland, and the fact that the harbors 
of Norway on its western coast up to a latitude of 
70 degrees remain open while the Baltic Sea much 
further south is a sheet of ice. England, clothed in 



PONCE DE LEON I7 

verdure, and Scotland, where the grass grows during 
eleven months of the year, are in the same latitude 
as the frozen coast of Labrador. Lisbon, in Portugal, 
where frost is scarcely known, is in the same latitude 
as Washington, D. C, where the Potomac River, a 
mile in breadth, sometimes freezes over in a single 
night. 

PONCE DE LEON 

The story of the discovery of America and the 
trials and hardships of Columbus are familiar to us 
all, but it should be well worth our while to give some 
details of the romance and a description of the stirring 
adventure of the Spaniards who followed in his wake. 

As we sat on deck in the moonlight watching the 
distant shore of Cuba recede in the darkness, the 
engineer told us the following story of the search 
for the "Fountain of Youth." 

"Four times, since the Spaniards came to this 
country, has a century rolled its wheel over the 
Floridas ; four hundred years it is since the men who 
followed Columbus first set foot on these coasts, 
eager to seek adventure and to find riches untold. 

Now, the land is a common, everyday reality. The 
planter eats his corn-bread in his cabin ; the negro 
toils at his daily task ; the Indian hunts in the pine- 
land, at peace with the settler ; and if there is any- 
thing of the poetry of romance of life in the land, 
itj is to be found in the richness of the vegetation 
and the beautiful life of the everglade, and not in 
the noble daring of man. 

Then, in the Floridas, there was romance in thought 



15 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

and action in history and in fiction, in dress, in races, 
and the love of man and woman, and all the world 
was tame when compared with this El Dorado. Here 
was the warrior's field ; here the adventurer's goal ; and 
hither came the poet to sing of the new land. Here 
landed the courtly and refined cavaliers of Spain, the 
most chivalrous nation of the earth. In an age of dis- 
covery, when all the world was intoxicated by those 
visions of wealth and novelty, no land loomed from 
the waters of the west so suggestive of stirring ad- 
venture or so rich in beauty as the so-called Island of 
Florida. 

Its discovery illustrates the romance of the age. 
Ponce de Leon was a hidalgo of Spain — noble, ac- 
complished, and renowned. With gray hairs had 
come honors and high command in the Indian Islands, 
when the tales of a Carib Indian girl, told him of a 
spring whose waters would bring back the fire of 
youth, and renew his wasted years. This fountain, 
she said, was situated on the coast of the great Mexi- 
can Gulf, where the oak, when dropping into the sea, 
is transformed into coral groves. 

The old knight sailed with his cavaliers in search 
of this fountain, and landed among the mangrove 
bowers and richly colored birds of the western coast, 
on Easter-day, or day of flowers, of the year of 
1 5 12, and thence baptized the newly discovered land 
by the name of Florida. Not finding the fabled waters 
of youth, the adventurous knight and' his visionary 
followers succumbed to the old age they had sought 
to banish, leaving a heritage of poetry and fiction to 
the coast they discovered. They died by shipwreck 



PAMPHILO DE NARVAEZ I9 

and wars ; or, if the legends of those seas may be 
believed, they still live among the coral reefs and keys 
that girdle the coast, and there, having found that 
long-sought fountain of perpetual youth, wander where 
the coral bowers make forests of beauty — where the 
sands are strewed with gems, and the summer never 
wanes. It is said to be a happy sight to the divers 
there, when the waters are clear, to see the Spanish 
knights, with their costly armor and their trailing 
plumes, loitering- with the Indian girls of long ago 
under the pink shadow of the coral. 

Following fast in the wake of the explorer, came 
noble and vassal, for fame, or greed, or heroic quest. 
Velasquez, De Guerray, Narvaez, succeeded each other 
as conquerors or visitors to the newly-discovered land. 

Pamphilo de Narvaez was no mere adventurer. To 
family honors and name he added the higher title 
of a fame won (fn the battlefield, and wealth and love 
added their charms to bind him to ease. But he also 
had heard of that fabled spring, and from the es- 
planade of his princely home in Cuba had seen the 
evening sky gleaming with what was said to be the 
reflection of gold of the Floridas ; and so, when the 
wind came fresh from the eastward, the morning-star 
saw his black-eyed lady watching from her balcony 
the lessening vessels that were bearing away her 
husband and four hundred men w^ith him. 

After seven days of favoring winds, Narvaez landed 
on the western shore of the peninsula, near where the 
Mecaco River empties into Charlotte Bay, and forth- 
with the bands of armed men, with their standards and 
their horses landed on the beach, and took possession 



20 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

of the land in the name of Spain. A curious spectacle 
did the adventurers present. There were the chiefs, 
with their haughty manner, and Moorish war-horses, 
the soldier with his pike and lance — the blue-steel 
cuirass, the chain shirt, and Toledo blade — all con- 
trasted with that tropical country of birds and flow- 
ers, and the gentle bearing of the Indians that wel- 
comed them. Around Narvaez were gathered many 
nobles, among them Cobecca de Vacca, the most 
gallant gentleman of Navarre. There came, also, 
priests to cure the souls of the benighted — hooded 
priests, whose convent stood high on the hill of 
Sierra de Diego, and little boys to swing the incense 
at the altars ; and hounds in couples nosing at the 
scented air with their tawny muzzles. All the equip- 
ment of glorious war and wild sports, and all the 
emblems of a deep religion swept by Gasparalla 
Island, and with the sound of the trumpet and the 
horn landed on the mainland. 

But a short history remans to be told. Treachery 
to the natives aroused revenge. The arrow whistled 
on every wind ; hostile bands disputed every stream. 
One battle followed another. The troops were divided 
in different bodies, under different leaders, and fought 
their way northward, until all but fifteen of that hope- 
ful army found a grave, either on the field of battle 
or the quicksand swamps. Fifteen, under the com- 
mand of De Vacca, coasted the Gulf, and gained a 
shelter in the Mexican colonies. Only one man, a 
common soldier named Ortez, escaped the others' 
doom. Being left wounded on a battlefield, he watched 
his opportunity, and, as night covered the shattered 



COBECCA DE VACCA 21 

dead and the trodden field, he crept down to the 
water's edge, guided by the splash of the sea. Here, 
finding a canoe of the natives, he hastily gathered some 
fruit to support him on his voyage, and setting sail, 
was soon beyond pursuit. He coasted down the shore, 
only landing at night to gather the turtles' and birds' 
eggs that were abundant on all the islands, until he 
reached Cuba, and saw once more the towers of a 
Spanish town. 

A sad day it was in St. Jago de Cuba, when Ortez 
came back with that Indian boat, and the grim tale 
of disaster. Solemn-moving men, cloaked to the chin, 
in spite of the tropical air, clustered together in the 
Plaza. 

Ortez was summoned to the presence of Narvaez's 
widow. In a few moments he had entered the quad- 
rangular stone court, and stood in a room where the 
light came throtigh canopied windows, and the air was 
cool with the splash of waters, whose music brought 
back to his memories the houses of Spain. The 
stately dame of the lost knight sat on a cushion by 
the window. Her eyes were hollow with watching 
and grief, and her voice was solemnly deep and low. 
Behind her sat her daughter, with a black veil shroud- 
ing her face. The soldier, leaning on his sword, told 
at her word of command, the story of their cruise, of 
their landing and bitter war, of how, one by one. the 
leaders found inglorious deaths by disease, by heat, 
by arrows, or fiood or quicksand, and how presently 
they had none to command but De Aacca. 

"But your chief — your chief, man! Where did he 
fall — how did he die — did you kill the foeman that 



22 FOLLOWIXG THE CONQUERORS 

struck hini. and honor his corpse as a king's?" de- 
manded the proud woman. 

"De Narvaez did not die by my side, or I would 
have revenged him ; nor was his body buried by our 
band. 1 don't know how he died. They say he died 
like a hero ; and when attacking a fort at Appalachi, 
with his good sword cleared a road so far into the 
stockade, that his men could not get to him, and 
there he remained and fell." 

"And where were vou, and did vou leave vour 
chief?"' 

"No; would I come back to Cuba had I done that? 
I was not with Narvaez's band; they had all sepa- 
rated before into five parties.'' 

"There were Spanish prisoners among the Indians, 
then?" 

""^'es, they seized three or four; but we counted 
them dead, for they never kept Spanish prisoners." 

"What then did they do with them?" 
• The soldier replied not in words, but taking his 
unkempt locks in one hand, with the edge of the other 
he made a circle around his head, and then witii the 
hand gave a twist, and a wave that was horribly sig- 
nificant of the scalping process, that had then but 
just come to the ears of the Spaniard, and possessed, 
to his mind, the double terror of mystery. 

A groan and a long pause followed this pantomine. 

"Soldier," said the lady, "he was your chief, yet 
you left him in a hostile country ; you do not know 
his fate, but will not honor, a soldier's name, tempt 
you to return, and seek to bring some tidings of his 
death?" 



ORTEZ 23 

"Where is the honor to all my comrades who are 
buried in those woods? There is no honor there, 
my lady."' 

"Where is your religion, man? You swore on the 
cross in our Holy Mother Church to defend your liege 
lord and all converts to your faith." 

"By my lady, I kept my oath; but where there is 
no standard, and even the priest is slaughtered by 
the savages, there is no piety in staying. I have 
been a true soldier in many a war ; but this is no war. 
We have lost our ship, our lives, our horses, our 
chief ; everything is gone of that array, and never 
a penny have we won to repay us all. What, then, 
could I do alone?" 

"Do this for me. I will send you with a pinnace ; 
I will make you a lieutenant before you go, and 
when you return, I will pay you here in this chamber 
two hundred ounces of gold. Stay here now as you 
are, and remain the bankrupt soldier, pointed out as 
the man who left Narvaez in Florida." 

Steadily Ortez weighed in his mind his chances 
of life, and the golden sum that was as sure to him on 
the promise of that woman as though belted at his 
waist. His eye looked at the soft light that came in 
at the window, and the spattering fountain in the court 
below, vacantly, while one could count two score ; and 
then turning to the widow, he said : 

"I will go," adding with Spanish grace, "and may 
our Lady Mother keep you well till my return." 

In a few days the adventurous soldier was again 
in the Mexican Gulf, steering for the battlefields where 
he had left his chief. He sailed amone islands cov- 



24 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

ered with mangroves, and pillared on coral, touching 
at every prominent point, and threading the broad 
lagoons where the sea-ferns spread their palms to the 
light of the upper air. When opportunities offered, 
lie landed on the shore, and tried, by presents and 
gentle words, to gain from the natives the information 




he desired, but they remembered the fierce forays of 
V^elasquez and Narvaez, and only treated with the 
adventurer to betray. 

He was induced one day by the Apalaches to 
visit the shore and was at once seized ; and being 



PONCE DE LEON 25 

recognized as one of Narvaez's l)and, was con- 
demned to death. His frightened comrades hav- 
ing lost their guide, made haste to weigh anchor, 
and sailed away to Cuba, glad to escape from the 
terrors of that Stygian shore." 

The deep pause which followed the narration 
was at length broken by the Ship's Doctor, who 
inquired musingly, "And how much is true and 
how much is only story, I wonder?" The Engineer 
smiled and answered, 'Ts it not all written in the 
faithful annals of *Garcilesso de Vega?" 



♦NOTE: — Of all the writers on the Conquest of America, no one 
has acquired so wide celebrity, or been so largely referred to by 
later compilers, as Garcilesso de la Vega. He was born in 1540, and 
was a Mestizo, that is, of mixed descent, his father being European 
and his mother Indian. 



THE WEST INDIES 

The islands of the West Indies, nearly one thou- 
sand in number, form a chain extending in a curve 
southeast from Florida to the northern coast of 
South America. The principal groups are called the 
Greater Antilles to the west and north, the Lesser 
Antilles to the east and south, and the Bahamas. 
The two former groups are in turn designated as 
the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands ; 
they are generally mountainous and in many cases 
are of volcanic origin. Some islands are the work 
of the coral insects and in the Lesser Antilles there 
are many active and extinct volcanoes. 

Several of the islands were discovered by Colum- 
bus on his first voyage and in the belief that he had 
reached that part of the world known as the Indies, 
these islands were named the West Indies and the 
inhabitants were called Indians, which name was 
afterwards applied to the people on the mainland 
of the adjacent continent. 

Before the discovery of America, a tradition ex- 
isted that far to the west of the Azore Islands there 
lay a land called Antilla whose position was vaguely 
indicated in the early maps and only eight months 
after Columbus' return, we find one Peter Martyr 
writing that the islands which the great navigator 
had touched upon must be the "Antilla." 

26 



AMERIGO VESPUCCI T.'J 

Amerigo Vespucci was born at Florence, Italy, 
on March 9, 1451. In his youth he showed a great 
liking for natural philosophy, astronomy and geog- 
raphy, at that period favorite objects of study on ac- 
count of their commercial importance. The success 
of the Great Navigator inspired him with a passion 
for discovery and he sailed from Cadiz, in Spain, 
on the 20th of May, 1499, and explored the section 
lying between the Island of Trinidad and the main- 
land of South America and some hundreds of miles 
along the coast. He made a second voyage under 
Admiral Pinzon and afterward entered the service 
of the King of Portugal and undertook two other 
voyages. His purpose was to discover a passage 
to Malacca, the extreme point of discovery in the 
east. 

Much unnecessary criticism has covered the name 
of Vespucci who has been accused of claiming the 
honor of unmerited discoveries. How America came 
to receive its name from him is not cjuite clear ; 
but it is certain from Humboldt's investigation that 
Vespucci himself had nothing to do with it. The 
name of the New World probably came from Ger- 
many. A selection from his narrative of American 
voyages found its way to that country and Martin 
Waldseemuller of Freiburg translated it for a book- 
seller of St. Diez in Lorraine. 

As the first account of the wonderful discovery 
it was eagerly read ; many editions were printed 
and according to Humboldt it was Waldseemuller 
who proposed that the New World be called 
America in honor of the author. Afterwards this 



28 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 



name was generally employed by geographical 
writers, and even the Spaniards and Portuguese 
adopted it. 

The climate of the islands is tropical, modified 
by the ocean breezes and in places by the eleva- 




A Banana Plantation. 



tion of the land. The islands are covered with 
luxuriant vegetation and the larger ones are well 
wooded. Tropical fruits and flowers and birds of 
bright plumage add to the beauty of the scenery. 
The islands are subject to hurricanes and earth- 
quakes. The principal products are bananas, sugar, 
rum, coffee, tobacco, etc. The commerce of the 
West Indies is extensive and valuable. 



THE WEST INDIES 29 

Cuba and Porto Rico have a large Spanish popu- 
lation but the greater part of the people of the 
islands are negroes, or of mixed races, with a small 
number of white people. 

The Greater Antilles comprise the Islands of 
Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and Porto Rico. 

The Lesser Antilles include all the West Indies 
east and south of Porto Rico. Most of them be- 
long to Great Britain. 

Trinidad, the largest of the Lesser Antilles, is a 
British possession noted for its lake of pitch and its 
mud volcanoes. 

The lake of pitch is one of the greatest natural 
curiosities in the world. Near the shores the pitch 
is hard. Its surface yields gently to the weight as 
one walks over it. There are channels of water 
through it and toward the center the pitch bubbles up. 

Barbadoes is important chiefly as a British naval 
and military station. It has a very dense negro 
population. The capital is Bridgetoivn. 

Guadelupe and Martinique belong to France. The 
Netherlands owns some of the smaller islands of the 
Lesser Antilles, while \ enezuela owns several lying 
near its coast. 

The Bahamas comprise a large number of small 
islands, many of which are uninhabited. Being of 
coral formation, their elevation above the sea is but 
slight and their soil thin. The climate attracts many 
people in the winter, and Nassau, the chief city and 
seat of government, is a noted health resort. The 
British control the group, and find the sponge fish- 
eries a source of wealth. 



30 FOLLOW I NT. THE CONQUERORS 

The Bermuda Islands, though not a part of the 
West Indies, may be described in this connection. 
They occupy a position about midway between 
Canada and the West Indies, and for this reason 
are of importance to the British Empire, to which 
they belong. They comprise a large number of small 
islands, but only a few of them are inhabited. Be- 
cause of their delightful climate these islands, like 
the Bahamas, have become noted as a winter resort. 
They have a considerable trade with the United 
States in flowers and early vegetables. Half of 
the inhabitants of the largest island live in Hamil- 
ton, the capital city. 

In the changing conditions of present day warfare, 
the leading powers in West Indian waters are 
Great Britain and our own country, although France 
has a strategic position of importance in the new- 
planning of air routes and submarine bases ; and, 
in the post-war readjustments, economic changes 
of great importance are now in course. 

Commercial interests, naval and air strategy have 
led Great Britain to send a commission whose an- 
nounced purpose has been to see w^hat the people 
of the islands want and if it would be safe to give 
them a larger share of self-government; but no 
thought of independence or of transfer to the United 
States is being" considered. 

There is a strong movement in Great Britain to 
form a West Indies Confederation to consist of the 
islands, Honduras, on the Mainland, and British 
Guiana in South America, with a seat of govern- 
ment at Trinidad ; to have a voice in imperial affairs. 



THE WEST INDIES 3I 

Bar1)adoes and the Windward and Leeward island 
groups refused to send delegates to a recent con- 
ference at Port of Spain, to consider the proposed 
consolidation. Barbadoes is 1820 miles from New 
York. 

The sentiment in the English possessions is 
strong for the British Flag, but commercial interests 
fear a possible trade retaliation by the United 
States which is the natural market for all these 
islands. The British as well as the American West 
Indies depend almost entirely upon their trade with 
North America. 

Canada, on her part, is reaching a long arm around 
the United States seeking- closer political and trade 
relations, which seems to have a better prospect 
than the Confederation plan, for the islands have 
but small trade with each other and there is little 
intercourse between them. 

Great Britain largely dominates the situation on 
the Atlantic, possessing as it does, a string of 
islands and naval bases in a great circle from Ber- 
muda to the east of the Caribbean Sea and ex- 
tending to the mainland of South America. Ber- 
muda is the principal base of the British West In- 
dies fleet, while the American headquarters is at 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Port Castris on the Island 
of St. Lucia and Port of Spain, capital of the Island 
of Trinidad, the southernmost of the British Indies, 
are supply bases and preparations were made a year 
ago to make an oil and coal supply base at Kingston, 
Jamaica. 

Kingston as a submarine and air base could domi- 



32 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

nate the Panama Canal, as it is only five hundred 
and forty miles from Colon. The American base 
in Cuba is but ninety miles distant and the big 




Roaring River Falls, Jamaica. 

United States Navy Aviation Station at Christobal 
has sent navy planes to Jamaica. 

Kingston is situated 1474 miles from New York, 
almost due South. 



IN THE TRACK OF 
THE TRADE WINDS 



Porto Rico. 

The Virgin Islands 

The Dominican Republic 





34 



HAITI AND SAN DOMINGO 

This island is really a northern boundary of the 
Caribbean Sea and lies nearly in a center between 
Cuba and Jamaica on the west, Porto Rico on the 
east, and the Bahama Islands and the open ocean 
on the north. It belongs to what are known as the 
"Leeward" Islands, or the Greater Antilles, compris- 
ing the four largest islands of the West Indies — 
Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and Porto Rico. Its greatest 
length is about 400 miles with a breadth of 160 
miles. It is mountainous and heavily wooded. The 
range of the Cibao mountains extends from north- 
east to southwest, forming the spine of the island. 
It is subject to earthquakes and is perhaps the most 
fertile spot in the West Indies. 

The extraordinary irregularity of the surface — tre- 
mendous gorges, crumbling peaks, zigzag stream 
valleys and the richness of the plant life — clusters 
of pines, the golden candelabra of the yuccas, the 
scarlet fringes of the bell-like fuchsias, the trailing 
clusters of rose-pink honeysuckle, the pink flower 
sprays of the begonias, the large white rose-like 
blossoms of the brambles, the dainty foliage of the 
dwarf bamboos and of countless ferns, the emerald 
green pastures — all these are elements of remark- 
able landscape beauty. The foliage is magnificent 
and gorgeous in hues — the tall shrubs of scarlet 
poinsetta, the glossy-leaved orange trees hung with 
fruit, the bread fruit trees with their enormous 

35 



36 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

leaves of emerald green, the rich blue tints of the 
bananas, the sulphur-yellow allamandas, the ex- 
quisite lavender blooms of the wistaria, the hedges 
of flossy agaves (Spanish dagger) all go to form 
scenes of entrancing beauty, through which wind 
narrow bridlepaths, bordered by fantastic houses 
and occasional strange cemeteries. 

The history of the island is almost unique. In a 
short time after its settlement the natives were 
almost swept aw-ay by the cruelty of the Spaniards. 
Then in the seventeenth century, came the French, 
called "Buccaneers" because they visited the island 
to kill the wild cattle and dry the strips of beef 
(boucan) in the sun. They generally called the 
island "Saint Dominigue." Columbus had christened 
his first settlement there "San (or Santo) Domingo" 
because it was discovered on a Sunday. The abor- 
igines lingered longest in existence in the north- 
western part of Hispaniola, and the name which 
they gave to their portion of the country was Haiti. 

In 1697 the w^estern portion of the island was 
ceded to France ; this was the first break in the unity 
of Spanish America. For nearly one hundred years 
large numbers of African negroes were brought to 
the island. The mulattoes grew into an intermedi- 
ate caste and were excluded from citizenship and 
from slavery. Finally in 1791, the mutual hatred 
of the three classes broke out into one of the most 
vindictive struggles in all time. Before the close 
of the eighteenth century this struggle led to the 
destruction of the whites and the independence of 
the colored races. As the insurgents were, in form, 




2,7 



38 FOLLOWIXG THE CONQUERORS 

Catholics, Haiti was now the only Christian com- 
munity of negro blood on either side of the Atlan- 
tic. In 1804 Dessalines proclaimed himself Emperor 
of Haiti ; this change was fatal to French commer- 
cial prosperity. Sometimes one state, and some- 
times divided, the country alternated between des- 
potism and anarchy. France was in the midst of 
the Napoleonic wars and had few troops to spare 
for a trans-atlantic campaign, so after desultory 
fighting, the rebels achieved independence. 

A Republic was proclaimed and a President elec- 
ted, who soon proclaimed himself Emperor in Port 
au Prince. Another negro leader in the north pro- 
claimed himself king in Cape Haitien and set up a 
system of nobility with eight dukes, including a 
Duke of Limonade, thirty-seven barons, and other 
lesser lights, all colored relatives of the monarch. 
Social disorder followed. All semblance of law and 
order in the interior disappeared. Armed bands of 
negroes roamed through the country, pillaging and 
burning. Each negro who could find arms for him- 
self and his followers announced himself as King, 
or President, or general and set out on a career of 
conquest. At first the magnificent homes of the 
former French land-owners offered rich booty, but 
when these had been sacked and burned, nothing 
remained, and, as his followers had to be fed, the 
"general" turned to his own race, who had chosen 
to continue to till the fields and to live as they 
had been under the French. Repeated robbery soon 
reduced them to ruin and desperation. The men, 
who could do so, removed to the coast cities where 




I- ^ 



40 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

life was more secure, while the rest left their fields 
and hid in the fastnesses of the hills. Abandoned 
I)y their owners, the comfortable dwellings went to 
ruin. Weeds overgrew the cultivated lands, and in 
a generation the fertile fields which had once pro- 
duced magnificent crops lapsed to the tropical jungle 
from which they had been redeemed. 

Seeds sprouted and trees grew in the famous 
roads, while the island presented a melancholy pic- 
ture of the results of war, lawlessness and disorder. 
Its houses and mansions, so substantial that fire and 
pillage could not entirely destroy them, had nothing 
left but standing walls. Its magnificent roads were 
overgrown ; and its fertile fields a jungle waste. In 
the wilderness the natives lived, amid dirt and filth, 
in tiny huts or huddled together like animals in the 
open. 

The only tranquil period of the island was from 
1820 to 1843, when the government comprised the 
whole of western (French) Haiti and the Spanish 
or Eastern portion. The island was recognized by 
the European powers and acknowledged by France 
on condition of a payment of $30,000,000 as compen- 
sation to the former planters. 

In 1844 the eastern or Spanish portion revolted 
against their Haitian oppressors and formed the 
Dominican Republic and in 1861 sought the pro- 
tection of Spain which was dissolved in 1865. At 
present the financial administration of the island . 
and collection of customs duties is in charge of the 
United States Go\-ernment whose Marine forces 
became the military powers in 1913. In November, 




A Happy Family. 

In Haiti the Weather is Very Warm, and People Live Much of the Time Out- 

OF-DooRS. Scenes Such as This Picture Describe Are Common 

Occurrences on Country Roads. 



41 



42 FOLLOWIXG THE CONQUERORS 

1915, the Haitian Congress ratified the treaty, 
establishing- a virtual protectorate by the United 
States. Port au Prince is 1372 miles from New 
York. 

PORTO RICO 

I'o the eastward of Haiti lies the island of Porto 
Rico. Its length is about one hundred miles from 
east to west and its breadth forty miles from north 
to south — nearly a rectangle in shape. Here we 
find our own flag. The climate is warm and the 
island is considered the most healthful in the West 
Indies. It is traversed by a mountain range averag- 
ing 1500 feet in height; rich alluvial tracts extend 
to the sea ; and there are numerous well-wooded 
and fertile valleys. The chief towns are San Juan, 
the seat of government in the northeast, Ponce in 
the southwest, and Mayaguez in the west. The ex- 
ports are chiefly sugar, tobacco, molasses, and hides. 
It is remarkable that there are hardly any flowers, 
birds, or wild animals in Porto Rico. 

The island formerly belonged to Spain, but was 
taken by the United States in the Spanish-Amer- 
ican War and is one of our most valued possessions. 
It has one of the finest harbors in the \\ est Indies, 
with fortifications so strong that possession of them 
gives control of the island. 

About three-fourths the size of the State of 
Connecticut, Porto Rico has the same number of 
inhabitants. This density of population is very 
serious since the isolated position of the island 
makes manufacturing impractical and the popula- 




Pi 



PM 



o 



43 



44 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

tion must earn its livelihood from the soil alone. 
The average density of population for the globe is 
36 to the square mile. South America has five, and 
that with far more than the ordinary amount of fer- 
tility. Porto Rico, with her lands well-nigh drained 
of their productive power, has a population of 310 
to the square mile. Then, too, the birth-rate ex- 
ceeds the death-rate, so that the situation becomes 
more difificult and demands the assistance which 
religion and education alone can give. 

A most important event in the history of this 
population occurred on the 2nd of March, 1917. It 
was at that time that the Jones' Bill of Congress 
(El Bill Jones, as it is called in Spanish) went into 
effect. By this law Porto Ricans received United 
States citizenship. When one remembers that in 
the Territory there is so large a population, over 
two and a half million — and that all the inhabitants 
are now citizens of the United States, it will be seen 
that the duty of the American Church towards the 
island is very great. 

Though Porto Rico was evangelized 400 years 
ago there are large numbers of people today -who 
are no longer willing to accept the Gospel their 
fathers believed in, but instead seek to satisfy the 
cravings of their religious instinct by running after 
spiritualism and theosophy — or agnosticism. There 
are likewise many who, living outside the cities, 
are not reached by any branch of the Church and 
are therefore in utter ignorance of the truths of re- 
ligion. Besides these two groups there are so- 
journers from the United States and other English 



PORTO RICO 45 

speaking countries to whom the Church must 
minister. Hence bi-lingual clergy are a necessity; 
I)Ut then Spanish is learned qviickly by all who go 
there. The most recent mission that has been estab- 
lished is that at El Coto, where in the midst of a 
plantation district the Church is ministering to peo- 
ple to whom no other minister of the gospel had 
ever gone. 

The State can never meet the educational needs of 
a people. Even if it has enough school buildings 
and teachers it could not teach all that the people 
need to know, particularly people like the Porto 
Ricans. xA.s a matter of fact our Government has 
made a wonderful beginning towards solving the 
school problem of the island. 

It has built splendid buildings and equipped them 
well, but it will be generations before all the chil- 
dren can be reached — if ever at all. and in the mean- 
time thousands of the future citizens of the United 
States hav'fe no opportunity to learn so much even 
as their A B C's. 

San Juan is 1399 miles from New York. 

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 

The Virgin Islands as they are now called are 
three small coral formations, fifty miles more or 
less, east and southeast of Porto Rico. On the 
map can be seen St. Thomas, St. John and St. 
Croix and their respective geographical position to 
one another and to Porto Rico. They were dis- 
covered by Columbus on his second voyage, but 
not being as valuable as some of the other land- 



46 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

falls that were made they were never occupied in 
sufficient force to assure permanent possession by 
any nation until 1733. At that time, after having 
been tossed about between the Spanish, English, 
Dutch and French adventurers for 250 years, they 
were finally occupied by the Danish West India 
Company, a corporation which though purely com- 
mercial was controlled by the King of Denmark as 
the largest stockholder. During the 184 years of 
Danish occupation they thrived fairly well. Their 
ports being free to all nations were patronized by 
ships from all parts of the world. Moreover, the 
Larger Antilles, not having yet been brought to 
such order as made planting profitable, much sugar 
was grown to advantage on these smaller islands. 
This last is an important point because those who 
criticize the American Government for allowing the 
Virgin Islands to be reduced to such a low economic 
state as is their lot today, do not realize that this 
situation would have come to pass no matter who 
was in control of them. Once the larger islands to 
the w^estward had been opened up to trade, and once 
plantation life on them had been begun, the \''irgin 
Islands and all the islands which form a chain from 
Porto Rico southward to Trinidad were commer- 
cially doomed. 

The United States bought St. Thomas, St. John 
and St. Croix from Denmark, and the American flag 
was run up on the 2nd of April, 1917. The principal 
island is St. Thomas, about thirty-eight miles east 
of Porto Rico. Charlotte Amalia, the capital, is de- 
pendent for its water supply upon rain water col- 



48 FOLLOW I XG THE CONQUERORS 

lected in tanks. The surface of the island is hilly 
and the soil poor. There is a scanty population and 
the products are small and but little exported. The 
capital is a calling- station for steamships, and its 
chief value to us consists in its position as a station 
in front of the Panama Canal. 




SOUTH AMERICA 

Directly to the south lies South America and to 
the eastward of our journey lies the long fringe 
of islands known as the "Lesser Antilles" most of 
which now belong to Great Britain. Guadelupe 
and Martinique belong to France, while Venezuela 
owns several lying near its coast. Venezuela and 
Colombia form the southern boundary of the Carib- 
bean Sea. 

VENEZUELA 

The east coast of Venezuela was discovered by 
Columbus in 1498. Ojeda and Vespucci followed 
in 1499, and entering Lake Maricaibo, they found 
an Indian village, constructed on piles, to prevent 
inundationSj which they named Venezuela, or lit- 
tle Venice, a name which was afterwards applied 
to the whole country. 

The first settlement was made in 1520 by the 
Spaniards and it remained subject to Spain until, 
forming a republic with Colombia and Ecuador, 
it was declared independent in 1819. 

In 1831 the states separated, and a condition of 
revolution and anarchy prevailed until 1863, when 
a constitution was formed establishing the republic 
and guaranteeing important privileges to the people. 

Venezuela, the earliest discovered portion of 
South America, is nearly ten times the size of New 
England. The greater part is situated in the 

49 



50 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

basin of the Orinoco River. The central part 
of the country affords pasturage for immense herds 
of cattle, and the higher parts are covered with 
dense forests. Hides, tallow, cocoa, and coffee are 
the chief exports. Caracas, the capital and largest 
city, has been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes. 
La Guayra is its seaport. Valencia is the seat of 
an extensive commerce. Maraicabo, situated in a 
hot and unhealthful lowland is one of the principal 
ports. 

The inhabitants are made up of several dift'erent 
l)eoples ; whites of Spanish extraction; Indians, who 
are docile and industrious (these two are the miners, 
agriculturists and manufacturers of the country) ; 
some negroes and mixed races. The commerce is 
important and would be much more so were there 
well-constructed roads and other means of convey- 
ance than mules. Great herds of wild horses and 
cattle roam over the central plains, and mules, 
goats and pigs are plentiful. 

COLOMBIA 

Colombia is a republic of South America, formed 
in 1861. Before this time the territory comprised 
in it bore the name of New Grenada. The capital 
is Bogota, situated at an altitude of 8,694 feet above 
sea level. In 1869 a treaty was concluded between 
Colombia and the United States, giving to the lat- 
ter the right to construct an inter-oceanic canal 
across the Isthmus then called the Isthmus of Dar- 
ien — now Panama. 

The original natives of the country called "Chi- 



COLOMBIA 51 

cas," are said to have been frugal and industrious 
and to have developed a well-organized government. 
They were conquered by Quesada (1536-1537), and 
their descendants are now Christian and speak the 
Spanish language. 

Perpetual snow covers the summits of the Cor- 
dillera Mountains ; the rich vegetation of the tropics 




Native Hut, Colombia. 

covers the valleys ; and in one day's journey the 
traveler may experience all the climates of the 
world. A system of parish schools with free pri- 
mary education and many important helps to civ- 
ilization and liberty have been established. The 
inhabitants rank first among the peoples of South 
America in literary and scientific culture. 

Colombia borders on two oceans and is more than 
three times as large as California, and formerly 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 




CCLOMBIA 53 

included within its limits the Isthmus of Panama. 
It has but few roads and short, isolated lines of 
railroads. Barranquila is the principal seaport 
on the Caribbean Sea, and is situated 1783 miles 
from New York. Cattle and horses are extensively 
raised. Cinchona bark, coffee, gold, and hides are 
the leading exports. 

The very name of Cartagena carries one back to 
the days of fascinating romance. When its foun- 
dation was taking place, the grandfathers of the 
Pilgrims were still babes or yet unborn. With its 
history during four centuries, missionary, explorer, 
pirate, follower of the Cross, seekers of gold — all of 
these are intimately associated. It is still one of 
the few walled cities of the world. The romance 
of history during its development was written daily. 

Coming close to the city, we can see the ruins 
of an old convent with which it is crowned. A story 
goes that the terror-stricken nuns of the community 
plunged headlong into the sea when the city was 
once attacked by pirates. 

We might tell of picturesque Santa Marta, of the 
Cathedral three centuries old, of the Bishop's palace 
just as old but painted in the gayest of colors, of the 
visit to San Pedro Alejandrius, where Bolivar, the 
Liberator, died ; of the inexpressible charm of that 
qitinta, its patio, its kitchen with its roof of deep red 
tiles, centuries old, of the chapel adjoining Bolivar's 
bedroom where daily the Holy Office of the Altar 
was said for him, but the steamer must be on its 
way and at the last, we come to our journey's end. 

The very pier on which we land gives us an ob- 



54 FOLLOW I XG THE CONQUERORS 

ject lesson in the fascinating history of the ex- 
change of raw materials for finished products. 
Northbound copper from Peru and Chile ; Cacao 
and ivory nuts from Ecuador ; hides from Colom- 
bia, all these meet here and pass automobiles, sew- 
ing machines, shoes, and dress goods, on their way 
south. 

Incidentally, we may learn that already we 
are south of Caracas, that Colon on the Caribbean 
is farther west than Panama, on the Pacific, that at 
Panama the sun rises as well as sets over the 
Pacific Ocean, and other local geographical facts 
to which stay-at-homes are strangers. 

Colon is 1974 miles from New York. 

And now, for a time, we go ashore, leaving our 
good ship to which, we are to return for a much 
longer journey to our own possessions — Honolulu 
and the Philippines. 



THE CANx^L ZONE 

While the steamer waits before continuing on its 
way through the Canal, it is well to consider some- 
thing of the days when the Spaniards were in pos- 
session, and when the route across the Isthmus was 
the great passage-way between the products of the 
lands to the southward on the Pacific Ocean and the 
trains of supplies and adventurers from Spain and 
the Atlantic ports. 

On his last voyage, Columbus landed at the very 
spot where begins the Atlantic entrance to the 
Canal. The harbor in which he anchored his fleet 
and which he called the Bay of Ships is now named 
Limon Bay, and the present city is named for him 
by the Spanish word for his name, "Colon." 

It is said that Columbus went into the interior 
until he reached the river Chagres. If he had kept 
on until he reached the Pacific Ocean, he would 
have been the first discoverer of the Pacific, but 
he was convinced that he had at last reached Asia 
and returned home to Spain. 

Balboa had come from Haiti to aid the Spanish 
settlers at San Sebastian which had been founded 
in 1509. to the east of the Isthmus. With a few 
survivors, he built a new town, Santa Maria, which 
was the first settlement on the Isthmus. He was 
made Governor and married the daughter of an 
Indian chief. The Indians told him of a wonderful 
body of water beyond the mountains and of vast 

55 



56 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 



ATLANTIC OC£A/V 

FT. LORENZO >|i__S2~^^SCx 




jAv^ PANAMA 

OF PANAMA 

PACIFIC. OCCAA/ 



THE CANAL ZONE 



THE CANAL ZONE 57 

amounts of gold to be found far to the south. 
With a party of two hundred men, he journeyed, 
through the jungle and across the mountains, at 
about two miles a day, and finally, on September 25, 
1513, he first saw the Pacific Ocean. Four days 
later, on its shore, he took possession in the name 
of the King of Spain. 

Four years afterward he carried the complete 
parts of four ships across the Isthmus and re- 
constructed them on the Pacific side. Before he 
could sail down the coast in search of gold, a new 
Governor, Pedrarias, sent from Spain, unjustly tried 
him for treason and he was beheaded. 

By a Papal bull the Portuguese had been given 
rights to all the lands to the eastward of a line 
drawn between the Canary Islands and the west- 
ern coast line of Africa. This required all vessels 
to Asia to sail around Cape of Good Hope, the 
southern pioint of the African continent. The Span- 
iards having the right to all lands to the west- 
ward believed a shorter way could be found through 
the American continent, and every stream and 
river was explored to see if it might not lead to 
China. 

In 1517, Saavedra, a Spanish engineer, suggested 
that a canal might be cut across the Isthmus of 
Panama almost 400 years before the Canal was 
actually constructed, and ten years later he made 
plans for a canal from the head of the Chagres River 
to Panama but its construction was decided to 
be impossible. 

A road was built in 1521 between Panama on 



58 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

the Pacific and Porto Bello, near Colon, on the 
Atlantic. Vast quantities of precious metals Avere 
carried across by relays of horses to Las Cruces 
and by boats on the Chagres River to Porto Bello. 

Gold was stored at Panama and sent to Spain 
once a year in great convoys of ships. 

The English adventurer. Sir Francis Drake, 
sailed around Cape Horn and attacked the treasure 
store house at Panama l)ut he was driven off, al- 
though he seized a treasvu'e train of mules on the 
Royal Post Road. Other attacks were made later 
on, and Henry Morgan captured and destroyed 
Porto Bello; in 1671 he destroyed the old city of 
Panama, which was later rebuilt six miles farther 
north and strongly fortified. After a time no more 
gold was brought from the mines of Peru, and 
Panama was quiet for many years. 

Then in 1849 gold was discovered in California. 
Thousands of Americans came to the Isthmus, were 
pulled up the Chagres River in log canoes to Las 
Cruces, and carried on the backs of mules and 
Indian porters to Panama en route to San Fran- 
cisco. The Isthmus route proved so much safer 
and easier than the long journey over the American 
desert to California that the Panama Railroad 
was built from Colon to Panama in 1855. It took 
five years to build it and it is said that it cost a 
hviman life for every tie that was laid. 

In 1879 the French Government authorized Ferd- 
inand De Lesseps to construct a canal across the 
Isthmus, but the revolutionists burned his supplies 
and the fever killed his workmen. He proposed to 







Ruins of Old Panama Citv. 
59 



6o FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

dig to sea level, which would have been a greater 
depth of sixty feet than the present completed 
canal ; if he had worked for one hundred years with 
his tiny dirt cars, he could not have completed it. 
De Lesseps spent over $260,000,000 and 25.000 men 
died to help excavate about 82,000,000 cubic yards 
of earth. 

The United States had surveyed a route through 
Lake Nicaragua but before adopting it the French 
Canal Company agreed to sell to us for $40,000,000, 
and their offer was accepted. 

President Roosevelt was authorized to make 
terms with the Government of Colombia, and a 
treaty was signed at Washington ; but the Colom- 
bian Congress rejected it in 1903, resulting in the 
great disappointment of the residents of the Isth- 
mus. The Council of the city of Panama proclaimed 
an independent Republic, a government was organ- 
ized, and on December 18th a treaty was made 
with the United States granting to the United 
States, forever, a zone of five miles wide on either 
side of the Canal. 

The coast line of the zone and the islands in 
the Bay of Panama were ceded for the defense of 
the Canal. The cities of Colon and of Panama 
remained under the authority of the Panama Re- 
public. The United States Government paid Panama 
$10,000,000 and is to pay $250,000 yearly. 

Three problems faced the American : first, sani- 
tation, for while the French had built hospitals for 
the sick, no effort had been made to prevent sick- 
ness ; second, the Culebra cut through the moun- 




A Section of- thi- Ancon Hospital, Canal Zone. 
61 



62 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 



tain range ; third, how to control the Chagres River. 

An Isthmian Canal Commission of seven men 

was appointed to I)nild the Canal. They took two 




Waterfront Markkt, Panama City. 
years to prepare qnarters and in the first year, 1904, 
thirty-five men died of yellow fever. It was found 
that this disease was carried from one person to 
another by the bite of a certain mosquito, which 
had become infected after biting a yellow fever 
victim; contact with a yellow fever patient does 
not carry the infection. The Americans cleaned 
up the cities in the zone, doing away with all cis- 
terns and rain barrels and screening all living rooms. 



THE CANAL ZONE 63 

At the end of the first year there were only three 
deaths from yellow fever and thus when there were 
no patients to bite and the infected mosquitoes had 
died, the fever was wiped out. The same method 
was used in treating malaria. During the build- 
ing' of the Canal about 40,000 workers were em- 
ployed, the majority of whom were negroes from 
the island of Jamaica. They were very lazy, and 
several thousand peasants were brought from the 
northern part of Spain to speed up the work, and 
about six thousand American engineers and fore- 
men were employed. 

Food was brought from New Orleans and New 
York in refrigerator ships to Colon, and cars 
brought supplies every morning across the Isthmus 
to the hotels and camps. Everything belonged to 
the United States. Free services of doctors and 
dentists were provided. 

Limon IBay, at the Atlantic end of the Canal, 
was two thousand miles from New York and to 
make it a safe harbor for the entrance, a break- 
water was built to prevent the storms and tides 
from washing mud and sand into it, and a steam 
dredge is kept at work all the time to keep a chan- 
nel open so that vessels may reach the entrance 
in deep water. 

GATUN DAM AND LOCKS 

It was found that a channel could not be built 
below the bed of the Chagres River which has 
been known to rise twenty feet in a single night 
and which would overflow the banks and fill the 
channel with mud. 




64 



THE CULEBRA CUT 65 

The Chagres River rising in the San Bias hills 
strikes the Canal line at Bas Obispo and zig-zags 
across it to Gatun, where the valley is only about 
a third of a mile wide. Here a dam was built which 
spreads the water out between the hills, forming 
a lake of nearly two hundred square miles. The 
surplus water runs ofif through a new outlet fur- 
nishing power to supply electricity to operate the 
Gatun locks that lift ships over the dam. There 
are six of these locks made in pairs so that one 
steamer can go up as another comes down. They 
are like a stairway of immense concrete tanks, each 
one thousand feet long and one hundred and ten 
feet wide. From the locks there is a clear channel 
from forty-live to eighty-five feet in depth for 
twenty-three miles through Gatun Lake to the 
Culebra Cut. 

THE CULEBR.\ CUT 

Here the channel is only three hundred feet wide 
for a distance of nine miles, extending from Bas 
Obispo to Pedro Miguel, reaching a depth in some 
places of three hundred feet, blasted from solid rock. 
The chief difficulty in building this cut came from 
landslides — one mass of soft clay lying on a sloping 
edge of slippery rock and when it is dug away at 
the bottom, it begins to slide down into the cut ; 
another caused by collapse of layers of rock which 
crumble with a side pressure against the bottom 
of the cut pushing it up 15 or 20 feet. This has 
proved the impossibility of digging a channel deep 
enough to build the canal at sea level. 




H 



66 



AN CON 67 

.MIRAFLORES LOCKS 

The locks to bring ships to a level on the Pacific 
side are similar to those at Gatun. There is a single 
pair at Pedro Miguel which drops vessels about 
thirty feet, and two pairs at Miraflores (wonderful 
fiowers) which lowers them to sea level. From 
Miraflores the Canal is dredged out at sea level 
to Balboa, and here the Pacific Ocean has a tide 
of twenty-one feet which required retaining walls 
to be built to prevent flooding the country at high 
tide. Immense quantities of earth and rock were 
used to build up the flat country which has been 
raised in some cases to a height of nearly one 
hundred feet over several square miles. To protect 
the Pacific entrance from storms, a breakwater 
was built from the shore to the islands in Panama 
Bay. 

Ancon is the natural center of everything on the 
Pacific side. Here, or nearby, are the military head- 
quarters, the civil administration building'. Fort 
Amador, the great Hotel Tivoli and the government 
hospital, while within two blocks of the chapel is 
the line which bounds the city of Panama. It is 
a terminus of the railway and the focus of all the 
omnibus lines from the surrounding communities 
of Amador. Balboa, Quarry Heights and Pedro 
Miguel. It is beyond question an ideal place for 
a center of Church life and influence amongst our 
American citizens. 

The building sites committee of the Panama 
Canal is making plans for future development. 
Ground is very precious and there are ever so many 



68 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 




:y 



U 



AN CON 



69 



things the government must do with it and ever so 
many new buildings needed for the hospital and 
other improvements. 




A Strket Sckne. 



FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 

PRONUNCIATION 

Ojeda o-ha'-da 

protege pro-ta-zha' 

Ciienca koo-en'na 

Medina ma-de'na 

Fonseca fon-sa'-ka 

Guadaloupe ga-da-loop 

La Navidad la-na-ve-dad' 

Cibao se-ba'-o 

cacique ka-sek' 

Caonabo ka-o-na-l:)o' 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 

Before introducing the subject of this narrative, 
we should like to acquaint our readers with the 
history of the country which claims him as one of 
its most daring and warlike sons. 

Spain was at an early age called Hispania. It 
was also known by the name of Iberia, from the 
river Iber, now El:)ro. Its present name, Hispania, 
or Spain, is said to be derived from a Phcenician 
A\()id which signifies "abounding in rabbits,'' as 
these animals were formerly very numerous in that 
country. 

Spain was conquered by the Carthaginians about 
the year 238 before Christ, and afterward was long 
held b}- the Romans. These, in turn, were over- 
thrown by the Goths from the north. 

During the eighth century, a race of warlike sol- 
ders from northern Africa crossed the Strait of Gib- 
raltar, which is only eight miles wide, and drove 
out the Goths. These victorious infidels, followers 
of Mohamet, known also in Spain by the name of 
Moors, in a few years conquered the ct>untry, push- 
ing their rule so far north that for a time the French 
people had the proverb, "Africa begins at the 
Pyrenees.'" 

The Moors were among the ablest and most 
learned people of the time. They built great cities 
in Spain and ornamented them with hundreds of 
mosques, and beautiful palaces, the ruins of which 

71 



''/2 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

are still standini^'. For some years thev held it as 
a dependency of the province of North Africa ; later 
it was g-overned by emirs or independent chieftains. 

Sjjain in the fifteenth century presents to our view 
a country where Catholic and Moor met in a fierce 
conflict. It was one vast school of w-ar. In the 
land of Isabella the Cross and the Crescent were 
fighting the final struggle for life or death. The 
war had lasted eight hundred years. 

On the second of January. 1492, in the same year 
that Columbus discovered America, the last of the 
Moorish kings yielded up the keys of that favorite 
seat of Moslem power. 

Alonzo de Ojeda was born at Cuenca about the 
year 1465. He belonged to a respectable family 
and w^as brought up as a page in the service of the 
Duke of Medina. 

Nothing" seems more natural than that during 
such prolonged wars, and whilst political afifairs 
were in such an unsettled state, the youth of the 
country were constantly drilled in hardy exercises 
and trained to arms. Every princely household was 
a military school. A chivalrous spirit pervaded the 
air and was transmitted from one generation to 
another. 

Chivalry, or knighthood, was a military institu- 
tion, which prevailed in almost every part of Eu- 
rope, but in France. Spain and Germany it attained 
its greatest purity. 

Those who were destined for chivalry were placed 
for education, at the age of seven years, in the cas- 
tle of their father or that of some neighboring noble, 



ALONZO DE OJEDA "JT^ 

where they received the appellation of page, or valet, 
until they arrived at the age of fourteen, v/hen they 
obtained the title of esquire and were admitted to 
the privilege of bearing arms. They were kept in 
active employment in the castle, being obliged to 
wait upon the lord and lady at home, and attend 
them abroad, and thus become accustomed to obe- 
dience and courteous conduct. Surrounded by noble 
and virtuous ladies and valiant knights, their first 
impressions were those of virtue, honor, and valor. 
From the ladies they learned the rudiments of re- 
ligion ; the lords instructed them in military exer- 
cises \\'ith l)hmt weapons. 

A cousin of Alonzo de Ojeda, who bore the very 
same name, entered the Dominican Order and be- 
came a distinguished preacher. He stood in high 
esteem at the Spanish court, and was besides a 
particular friend of Archbishop Fonseca. Through 
his influence our cavalier was introduced to the great 
and powerful bishop. He made such a good im- 
pression on the latter that he at once became a great 
favorite. 

History tells us that Christopher Columbus made 
four voyages to the New World. Among the noted 
personages who joined him on his second voyage in 
1493, we find the name of Alonzo de Ojeda. He 
is described as a young cavalier about twenty-one 
years of age, small in stature, but of powerful 
strength and agility. 

His dark countenance, full of expression, was lit 
up by a daring eye. He possessed great skill in 
handling all kinds of weapons and was noted as an 



74 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

admiral)le horseman. One of his biographers pre- 
sents him to ns in the following terms: "Ojeda. 
destined for a long time to be the admiration of 
the wild and roving youth who flocked to the New 
World, was bold of heart, free of spirit, open of 
hand, .fierce in fight, quick in quarrel, but ever 
ready to forgive and forget an injury." 

His name is first mentioned in connection with 
the island to which Columbus gave the name of 
Guadaloupe. On arriving there the explorers found 
some women and children and many dreadful re- 
mains of cannibalism ; the men w'ere at the time 
engaged in ])rocuring captives for their horrible 
banquets. The Spaniards were struck with terror 
at the sight of the human bones; skulls were used 
as vases and household utensils, and these objects 
convinced them that they were in reality in the 
abodes of the cannibals, the Caribs, of whom they 
had been told by the Hispaniola Indians. 

The party now sailed for the island of Hispaniola. 
On their way they passed many smaller islands 
where they made only a short stay, for all were 
anxious to meet their countrymen in the colony of 
La Navidad. There Columbus had made a settle- 
ment, built a fort, and left a colony of thirty-nine 
men (jn his first voyage. Near the mouth of a small 
river an exploring party found the corpses of two 
men with the arms fastened in the form of a cross. 
1 he next day, not far from the same place, they 
saw two more dead bodies. The Spaniards could no 
longer distinguish their nationality, but suspicions 
were aroused. The ships sailed on in haste. It 



ALOXZO DE OJEDA 73 

was quite dark when they anchored at some distance 
from the shore. No light was seen. Columbus fired 
off two of the heaviest guns. The report echoed 
far along the shore but no answ^er was returned. 
When the next morning came, they found that a 
dead silence reigned over the place that had been 
so full of life a few months before. The fortress 
was a blackened ruin. Remnants of broken ves- 
sels and furniture were scattered all around. 

Columbus now turned his thoughts to exploring 
the interior of the island of Hispaniola. From the 
natives he had heard of a rich region called Cibao. 
whose famous cacique was Caonabo, or the "Lord 
of the Golden House.'' 

Early in January. 1494, Ojeda, who was chosen 
to lead the enterprise, set out with a small party of 
courageous followers. When they reached the in- 
terior not an Indian was to be seen. 

On the evening of the second day the Spaniards 
came to a lofty mountain range. They slept on the 
summit. The next day they passed down the other 
side and entered the Indian towns, where they were 
received very kindly. Hospitality was showered 
on them. A few days later they entered the famous 
territory, but no one appeared to stop their progress. 

The Spaniards at first saw no signs of great 
wealth. Cibao in the language of the natives signi- 
fied a "stone." The mountains were scantily 
clothed with pines, but the sands of the mountain 
streams glittered with particles of gold. The natives 
skillfully separated these and handed them to the 
Spaniards without expecting any reward. The 



y^ 1"(JLL()\\1.\G Tlll£ CONQUERORS 

stones were found to be streaked and impregnated 
with gold. One of the party affirms that he saw 
a mass of rude gold, weighing about nine ounces, 
which Ojeda himself had found in one of the 
brooks. 

Not very long after this, Columbus appointed 
Ojeda commander of Fort St. Thomas. He set 
out for that place at the head of about four hundred 
men, sixteen of whom were horsemen. On reaching 
the Royal Plain, he heard that three Spaniards had 
been robbed by the Indians who had undertaken to 
carry them across a river. At the same time he 
learned that the culprits had been protected by their 
chief who shared the booty. Ojeda, as we have been 
told before, was a soldier of quick temper. He 
seized one of the thieves, ordered his ears to be cut 
off in the public square of the village, and then sent 
the offending chief, together with his son and 
nephew in chains to Columbus. 

The Spaniards were at length made aware that 
their greatest enemy was Caonabo, the fierce chief 
of the golden mountains. The erection of Fort St. 
Thomas in the very center of his dominions enraged 
him. He sent spies to find out the number of 
soldiers in the fort. These brought back the news 
that the garrison was reduced to fifty men, and that 
the cacique, or chief, had planned to strike a signal 
blow. 

Caonabo, the chief, assembled as many as ten 
thousand warriors and led them secretly through the 
forest, expecting to surprise the Spaniards ; but he 
found Ojeda within his fortress, which was built 



ALONZO DE OJEDA ']'] 

Upon a hill and nearly surrounded by a river. The 
warlike chief kept up the siege for thirty days and 
reduced the Spaniards to great distress. Ojeda 
diminished the allowance of food, and seizing his 
opportunity, made bold sallies which cost Caonabo 
the bravest of his men, till the Indian chief, con- 
vinced that storming and starving were equally 
hopeless, decamped at the end of thirty days. 

It was useless to think (jf making new settlements 
in Hispaniola as long as the fierce Caonabo retained 
his power and his hostile attitude. To make war on 
him in the midst of his mountain passes and strong- 
holds would certainly be a work of time and peril. 
Columbus was perplexed. 

Ojeda hearing of the difficulty, and following the 
bent on his daring nature, offered his services. He 
even promised to bring the chief alive and place 
him in the hands of the Discoverer of America. 

He went with nine cavaliers to seek Caonabo in 
the midst of his own people. He promised to bestow 
on him no less a gift than the Angelus bell of Fort 
St. Thomas, if he would come to Isabella and 
make terms with Columbus. 

This bell was the wonder of the whole island. 
When the Indians heard it ringing for mass, and 
beheld the Spaniards hastening towards the chapel, 
they imagined that it talked and that the white men 
obeyed it. They looked upon this bell as something 
supernatural, and said it had come from the skies. 
The chief had heard it at a distance in his prowling-s 
about the settlement, and had longed to see it. The 



78 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

offer was too tempting, and Caonabo agreed to go, 
but insisted on taking a large army with him. 

One day in the course of their march, having 
halted near a small river, Ojeda produced a set of 
manacles of polished steel, so brightly burnished 
that they looked like silver. Caonabo was told to 
go to the river and bathe, after which he should 
be decorated with these ornaments, which had come 
from heaven, and which were worn by the mon- 
archs of Spain at court festivities. Afterward, 
mounted on the horse of Ojeda, he should return 
like a Spaniard to his astonished subjects. 

Dazzled l)v the glitter of the manacles, and flat- 
tered with the idea of mounting one of those proud 
war horses, he repaired to the river, and having 
bathed, he was assisted to mount behind the cava- 
lier and the shackles were adjusted. He anticipated 
no danger with his army around him. 

Ojeda made a few circles with his delighted cap- 
tive before the eyes of all the Indians and then set 
spurs to the horse while the other cavaliers closed 
around him, and, drawing their swords, threatened 
the chief with instant death if he made the least 
noise or showed signs of resistance. They bound 
him with cords to Ojeda to prevent his falling off, 
put spurs to their horses, dashed across the river, 
and set oft' with their prize. The daring Ojeda 
entered Isabella in triumph with his wild Indian. 

From that time Caonabo had the most enthusi- 
astic reverence for the brave Ojeda. In the i:)res- 
ence of Columbus, however, he did- not show the 
slightest sign of respect ; but when Ojeda entered 



ALOXZO I)l£ OJEDA 79 

the room he rose at once to salute the man who 
had dared to carry him off in open day with all his 
warriors looking on. He continually cast angry 
and threatening" looks at the Spaniards, Ojeda ex- 
pected, and gloried in the destruction of La Navi- 
dad, boasting, moreover, that he had been prowd- 
ing around Isabella with the intention of striking 
a blow of the same kind there. 

The Indian chiefs had gathered around the 
Ijrother of Caonabo and resolved to attack the Span- 
ish Settlement. They invited all the tribes to join 
them. 

Columbus could muster only two hundred and 
twenty men, twenty of which were cavalry. The 
Spaniards were commanded by Don Bartholomew, 
the brother of Columbus, and by Alonzo Ojeda. 
He divided the army into small troops. Suddenly 
the infantry advanced from various sides. The 
sound of drums and trumpets was heard, followed 
l)y a deadly volley of firearms. The brave savages 
were terrified; a panic seized them. It seemed a 
mighty force was moving down upon them. 

To heighten the confusion, Ojeda and his horse- 
men appeared. The Indians stood in awe at the 
sight ; they even imagined that the horse and the 
rider formed one animal. Ojeda's troops charged 
furiously. They dealt fatal blows wnth lance and 
sword, trampling the Indians under foot. At the 
same time twenty bloodhounds, which the Spaniards 
had brought with them, w^ere let loose, and rushing 
upon the savages, tore them to pieces. 

It was a short battle and a complete victory for 



80 FOLUnVIXG THE COXQUERORS 

the Spaniards. All parts of the island were thereby 
reduced to obedience. 

Ojeda had spent three years at Hispaniola. His 
reputation as a soldier of unrivaled skill and match- 
less bravery had greatly increased. He sailed with 
Columbus for Spain in 1496, but did not accompany 
him on his third voyage. 

His desire at this time was to fit out an expedition 
himself. He was encouraged l:)y Bishop Fonseca. 
who was still his patron, and who provided him 
with a commission, or certificate, conferring" military 
rank. 

A mere soldier of fortune, far from l)eing rich, 
he now looked about for means to fit out a little 
fleet. Some friends, who were wealthy merchants, 
helped him, and in a short time he had command 
of a squadron of four vessels. 

Among his first associates we find a very skillful 
navigator, Amerigo \'espucci, a merchant of Flor- 
ence, who sought in the New World for fortune 
which he could not find in the Old. 

In May, 1499, they set sail, and after a \"(jyage of 
twenty-four days they reached South America, sev- 
eral hundred miles south of the Orinoco River. 
They coasted northward and at a convenient harbor, 
Ojeda built a two-masted, square-rigged vessel. 
The Indians were friendly ; they came in numbers to 
see the Spaniards and supplied them with fish, 
venison and cassava in abundance. They desired 
to gain their protection against the cannibals of the 
Carribee Islands. The latter often entered their set- 
tlements near the coast and carried ofif people, 



ALOXZO DE OJEDA 8 1 

whom they afterward devoured. Ojeda promised 
them aid. With a number of Indian guides he 
sailed on for seven days, when he came to the 
place of abode of this race. A great number 
appeared at the shore. They were hideously painted 
savag'es, and yelled boldly and defiantly. 

The commander ordered his men to put out the 
boats and provided each with a small cannon. Dur- 
ing the time arrows flew thickly and swiftly at the 
Spaniards. The cannibals even dashed into the 
water to meet their opponents. 

As soon as Ojeda opened fire, the savages stag- 
gered and trembled and soon took to their heels. 
When the Spaniards leaped ashore, however, they 
returned, and now a fierce hand-to-hand fight began. 
At the point of the sword the man-eaters were 
finally driven to the woods. 

The following day the shore swarmed again with 
naked, armed and painted savages. The Spaniards, 
fifty-seven* in number, rushed toward them and 
routed them with great slaughter. 

After taking a well-deserved rest of some three 
weeks, the party sailed for the mainland once more. 
They arrived at a vast gulf, or bay, which they 
entered and to their great surprise, beheld a village 
on its eastern shore. The latter attracted their 
attention. It consisted of some twenty large houses, 
which were shaped like bells, and built on piles 
driven into the bottom of the water, which in this 
part was quite clear and not deep. Each house was 
provided with a drawbridge and with canoes by 
which communication was carried on. 



82 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

The village bore a striking resemblance to Venice, 
the Italian city ; therefore Ojeda named the city 
A'enezuela. or Little Venice, by which name it is 
known to the present day. 

The Spaniards continued their explorations and 
came to a port which the Indians named MaracaylK). 
Ojeda and his companions were here treated like 
angelic beings and every possible mark of kindness 
and veneration was heaped on them. 

Before departing, the commander ordered that 
a cannon be discharged. Amerigo Vespucci relates 
that at its sound the timid savages plunged into the 
water like so many frogs from a bank. When they 
saw that no harm was done them their fear van- 
ished, and they returned to bid their visitors a fond 
farewell. 

Ojeda sailed along the coast until he came to 
Point Gallinas. Here the condition of his vessels 
warned him to discontinue his voyage and to have 
the ships refitted. 

This being done, he rambled among the neigh- 
boring islands, seized a large number of natives 
whom he carried off with him on his homeward voy- 
age. The unfortunate Indians were sold in the 
slave markets and the money divided among him- 
self and his followers. 

In consideration of his services a grant of land 
was given him ; he was made governor of the prov- 
ince he had discovered, was authorized to fit out 
any number of ships not exceeding ten, at his own 
expense, and had the right to trade in all kinds of 
merchandise. 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 83 

This commission was no sooner in his hands, than 
he began to fit out some vessels. Two of his friends 
opened their purses, and in a short time four ves- 
sels were ready. 

In 1502 Ojeda again set sail and the little squad- 
ron soon reached South America near the mouth of 
the Orinoco. Next they coasted along the northern 
border, reached the Republic of Venezuela, and 
finall}' cast anchor in the port destined as the seat 
of government. The native Indians had not been 
consulted; so one day when a party of Spaniards 
landed to obtain fresh water, a shower of arrows 
met them and obliged them to return to their ships. 
Ojeda provoked at this treatment, immediately 
landed, and gave the Indians such a thrashing that 
they sued for peace on any terms. 

The Spanish settlement Nourished and a fortress 
was built. Ofiicers dealt ovit provisions twice a day, 
but at last these grew scarce. The Indians became 
hostile. Ojeda, in several of the raids which he led 
on the Indian villages, collected a considerable 
quantity of gold which he locked up in a strong box, 
taking possession of the keys. 

Want increased and murmurs grew loud against 
the governor. Finally two of the officers seized him, 
put him in irons, and brought him on board the ship. 
The colonists followed, and in a few days the ships 
were near the coast of Hispaniola. One night when 
all was quiet and the officers and crew were enjoying 
a refreshing" sleep, Ojeda, the prisoner, confident of 
his strength and his skill as a swimmer, let himself 
slide down the side of the ship into the water. His 



84 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

arms were free, but not his feet. The weight of his 
irons was about to sink him and he was obliged to 
shout for help. Quickly a boat was sent to his 
relief, and he was brought back half dead to his 
companions. 

Ojeda appealed to the King, and orders were im- 
mediately issued to restore his property. But the 
strong box was empty and there was little to restore. 

Ojeda was a ruined man. and for some years we 
lose sight of him. 

In 1508 we find him once more in Hispaniola with 
a rather light purse, but as yet an untamed spirit. 

On his last voyage, in 1502, Columbus has dis- 
covered the Isthmus of Darien. The fame of the 
riches of this region had spread to Spain and the 
King was anxious to plant colonies on its coast. 
Ojeda was selected for the enterprise ; but he was 
not to have the whole government to himself. 

King Ferdinand divided the Isthmus int(j two 
provinces, appointing Ojeda ruler of the southern 
division, while a brave and accomplished courtier, 
James de Nicuesa by name, was chosen to colonize 
the northern part. -. 

Both began to fit out a fleet. Ojeda at the time 
had no money, but he had friends who came to his 
assistance. A ship and two brigantines were soon 
ready, and accompanied by two hundred men. he 
set out to the New World. 

Nicuesa did not spare his means in fitting out a 
fleet. 

The island of Jamaica was designed by the court 
as the base of supplies for both provinces. Here the 



ALOXZO nE OJEDA 85 

two fleets met and the quick eye of Ojeda at once 
noticed the superiority of Nicuesa's fleet ; he felt 
rather mortified on meeting his wealthy rival. Very 
soon the two governors were involved in a quarrel. 
Ojeda desired to settle the matter with his well-tried 
sword, but his rival would not accept the challenge. 
Happily, no blood was shed. 

In November, 1509, Alonzo de Ojeda sailed 
from San Domingo. He had on board Francis 
Pizarro. the future discoverer and conqueror of 
Peru, and Hernando Cortez would have gladly 
joined the expedition if sickness had not prevented. 

They reached the harbor of Cartagena in a short 
time. After landing, Ojeda, accompanied by some 
priests and a part of his force, prepared to take pos- 
session of the country. A large crowd of savages 
came forward to meet the Spaniards, and one of the 
missionaries read the document which had been pre- 
pared for the solemn occasion. Ha\ing finished. 
Ojeda trfed to gain their friendship, holding up 
some shining presents. The fierce red men were not 
so easily won : they assumed a defiant attitude and 
loudly sounded the battle cry. At this moment the 
worthy old pilot of the fleet came forward and 
warned the governor to leave the hostile shore at 
once, since its wild inhabitants were accustomed to 
fight like poisonous reptiles, using swords made of 
palm wood and arrows dipped in a deadly poison. 
But his advice was in vain for Ojeda had already 
brandished his sword. The Spaniards followed 
their leader and pursued the flying Indians for miles 
into the interior. Finallv thev came to a dense 



86 • FOLLOW I. XG THE CONQUERORS 

wood where they found the savages entrenched. At 
the sight of the Spaniards the latter fled to the 
woods in terror. 

Coming to a village which had been deserted by 
the Indians, the Spaniards believing" themselves safe, 
divided into bands in a careless manner, roved from 
house to house and seized everything of value. 
Suddenly an army of Indians surrounded them ; they 
fought like lions, but being outnumbered, fell one by 
one beneath the heavy war clubs. 

Ojeda quickly collected a few soldiers about him 
and sheltered himself within a small enclosure. The 
]:)oisoned arrows flew quickly; he warded them off 
with his shield. He then threw himself on his 
knees, and fought as well as he could. His com- 
panions were all slain, and the same fate would 
have befallen him. had not th^ good old pilot ar- 
rived with a few followers. Having heard of the 
peril of his commander, he resolved to save him or 
to die with him. At this moment Ojeda sprang forth 
like a lion, fought the Indians on l)oth sides, and 
disappeared. The pilot, de la Cosa, was wounded 
bv several arrows. Still, he defended himself until 
all his comrades except one were killed. Feeling 
that his death was nigh, he l)egged that his com- 
panion would fly from the scene of terror, and try 
to find Ojeda and bring him the news of the death 
of his faithful pilot. vSeveral days passed by ; the 
Spaniards who had remained on the ships in the 
harbor were alarmed. "What has become of the 
governor?" they asked each other. A party went 
out in search of him and his followers, but no trace 
of them could be found. 



ALOXZO DE OJEDA 87 

One day some of the crew were coasting along the 
shores and came to a dense forest. All along the 
shores of the waters in the tropics mangrove trees 
are found. On the matted roots, at some distance, 
they spied something that looked like a human fig- 
ure. They left their boat, took a small canoe and 
drew near. They stood before their governor, who 
still bravely grasped his sword and buckler, but 
was speechless. Food and wine were given him in 
small quantities, and in a short time he recovered 
his senses. As soon as he was able to speak, 
he related to his astonished hearers the terrible 
encounter w^ith the Indians. After his escape he had 
pushed onward alone trying to reach his ships. 
His strength at last had given way, and finally he 
fell to the earth unconscious of all that happened. 

On his person not a single scratch could be seen, 
while his buckler showed the dents of some three 
hundred arrows. 

These hostile shores had no longer any attraction 
for the Spaniards, not even for the dauntless Ojeda. 
The sad fate of his companions cast a gloom over 
him. The party embarked, sailed across the gulf, 
and selected a suitable site for a settlement on the 
coast of Darien. Ojeda named it San Sebastian in 
honor of the saintly martyr who had been killed by 
arrows. He invoked the saint's protection against 
the poisoned weapons of the savages. 

The next work was to explore the country. The 
native Indians were, like most of their savage 
brethren, of a warlike nature; the Spaniards often 
had disputes with them, and were filled with terror 



88 FOl.r.OWIXG THE CONQUERORS 

when, with hideous yells and wild shouts, they pur- 
sued them to the entrance of their town. 

As a rule misfortune never comes alone. Pro- 
visions grew scarce, the colonists became weaker, 
and the Indians increased in boldness. 

Ojeda repeatedly rushed forth at the head of his 
troops. His dauntless spirit w^as the only thing 
which never changed. Being remarkably swift of 
foot, he was always the first to make the Indians 
feel the weight of his blow^s. Washington Irving 
writes of him : "He slew more of their warriors 
with his single arm than all his followers together.'' 

The savages were led to imagine that he must 
have a charmed life, since they could never wound 
him. They formed a plot to test the truth and pre- 
pared a bundle of poisoned arrows. Some of their 
party lay in ambush while others approached the 
settlement. Ojeda pounced upon them and the lat- 
ter quickly retreated, while the former surrounded 
him. A volley of arrows flew at him; one entered 
his thigh; and with yells of triumph and joy the 
dusky savages ran back into the woods. 

The bold commander, who had never been 
wounded in battle before, now lay at death's door. 
In his agony he thought of a remedy. He called for 
his surgeon and, under pain of death ordered him 
to apply two iron plates which had been raised to a 
white heat to the two openings made by the arrow. 
The doctor hesitated for a while, but finally com- 
plied with his wish. Ojeda endured the frightful 
operation without a murmur. The wound healed, 
;in(l we may imagine the astonishment of the dusky 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 89 

savagfes when they saw him once more leading his 
faithful warriors against them. 

The colony of San Sebastian was at this time in 
a starving condition. From their fierce neighbors 
the settlers could expect no relief. Ojeda had or- 
dered provisions from San Domingo, but had re- 
ceived no reply. One day a ship was seen in the 
distance. All hearts were filled with joy at the 
thought of the expected aid ; they w^ere, however, 
doomed to sad disappointment. The vessel turned 
out to be the property of pirates. Nevertheless. 
Ojeda purchased some provisions for his starving 
colony from the captain, and finding that no other 
help arrived, he resolved to sail for Hispaniola him- 
self. Francis Pizarro was left in command of the 
town, and Ojeda boarded the vessel. The voyage 
was very stormy and daily disasters occurred. 

Ojeda, born to command, had never been ac- 
customed to obey. He soon had a quarrel with the 
captain which might have been settled very quickly 
with his sword had it not been for the crew. Being 
subdued by the latter, he was chained and kept 
under strict guard. A terrible storm began to rage, 
and the sailors were filled with fear and apprehen- 
sion. In the midst of this danger they remembered 
that their prisoner was not only a soldier but also a 
sailor, and promised to take ofif his irons on condi- 
tion that he would steer the vessel during the re- 
mainder of the voyage. He accepted, and took his 
plac€ at the helm ; but it is impossible for human 
skill to battle with the elements when they are let 
loose. The vessel was completely shattered, and 



90 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

all the hardy pilot could do \\as "to run it ashore on 
the southern coast of Cuba." 

While the disheartened crew gave way to despair, 
Ojeda saw there was no other course open except- 
ing to push on to the other side of the great island 
and then, if possible, cross over the strait to 
Hispaniola. 

The party began their wearisome march. No path 
or road was to be met. It was the fearless spirit 
of Ojeda alone that led o\er plain and bog and 
mountain, through forest and marsh. They suf- 
fered intensely. Hunger and thirst gnawed to the 
very bone ; now^here was it safe to pass the night 
except in the branches of the trees. Several of the 
party were drowned in swimming the rivers, while 
others daily sank to the grave beneath the burden 
of their miseries. The worst was yet to come. The 
last ray of hope vanished when they came to a 
marsh so wide and extensive that it seemed bound- 
less. 

One day they had made very little progress in 
their march through the swampy woods. When 
evening came the resolute spirit of Ojeda for once 
gave way for a moment to despondency. There 
and then he made a vow to the Blessed Lady, that 
he would build a chapel at the first Indian village 
at which they should arrive, and would leave her 
picture there as an object of veneration to the chil- 
dren of the forest, if she conducted him alive 
through this frightful danger. 

After thirty days of toil and intense suffering, 
the wearv and famished travelers, led bv the craftv 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 9 I 

Ojeda. succeeded in crossing" the morass. They 
noticed a footpath and followed it. When they 
arrived at the Indian village to which it led, they 
were received with the greatest kindness. The 
simple Indians, seeing how exhausted they were, 
tried to console them in every way in their power. 
Alas, of the seventy men who had left the ship 
only thirty-five survived, and nearly all of these 
were half dead. The Indian chief, in fact the whole 
tribe, lavished the greatest kindness on them, and 
after some time they were once more restored to 
health. 

Ojeda at once prepared to fulfill his row. With 
the help of the Indians he built a chapel in the 
village and placed an altar therein. The painting 
of the Holy Virgin, which had been for so many 
years his most cherished and inseparable compan- 
ion on sea and on land, in danger and misfortune, 
was carefully hung above the altar. 

Then Ojeda began to instruct the Indians and ex- 
plained to them the truths of the Catholic faith. 
They listened very attentively and tried hard to 
understand the meaning of his words. 

All the Indians showed great veneration for the 
picture. They kept the chapel neat and clean and 
decorated it with flowers and all kinds of cotton 
hangings. 

We are told that a few years later the venerable 
Bishop Las Casas arrived at the village. He found 
the chapel well preserved and the picture regarded 
with fond veneration. Having heard much of this 
famous relic, he ofifered to g^ive the chief in exchange 



92 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

a Statute of the Blessed Virgin which he had 
brought with him. The next morning the Bishop 
came to the chapel, said Mass, and baptized a num- 
ber of children. The chief did not appear, and the 
picture could not be found. On inquiring. Bishop 
Las Casas learned that the Indian had fled to the 
woods during the night, carrying oiT with him his 
beloved picture. Messengers were sent to assure 
him he would not be deprived of his treasure, but 
he refused to return. Only after the departure of 
the Spaniards did he venture back to the village. 
The picture was again replaced in the chapel. 

Ojeda was about forty-five years old when he 
died. Of the last years of his life very little is 
known; they were spent in poverty and obscurity in 
San Domingfo. 



ALONZO DE OJEDA 93 

Bartholomezv De Las Casas ( Bar-t5'-lo-mu da las 
ka'-sas), a Spanish prelate, born in Seville in 1474. 
In his nineteenth year he accompanied his father, 
who sailed with Columbus, to the West Indies. 
Five years afterv^ard he returned to Spain, and pur- 
suing his studies, he entered the Dominican Order. 
He accompanied Columbus in his second voyage to 
Hispaniola. In 1510 he was ordained priest at 
San Domingo, and on the conquest of Cuba settled 
there, and distinguished himself by his humane con- 
duct towards the oppressed natives. In his efforts 
to convert and civilize them, he traversed the wilder- 
ness in various directions, sparing not time or labor 
or life itself when their interests were concerned. 
To defend their wrongs, he made several voyages 
to Spain and wrote many volumes. A rich bish- 
opric was offered him, which he declined; later he 
accepted one that was poor. In 1551, he returned 
to Spain and retired to the monastery at Valladolid, 
where he died at the advanced age of ninety-two. 

" Saint Dominic and its Venerable Bells " stands 
as a monument of which the spirits of its builders 
of nearly two centuries ago need not be ashamed. 
Saint Dominic is now an old tumble-down, aban- 
doned church, one of the many churches on which 
much of the energy and wealth of the pious com- 
munity of Panama, or Darien, was expended. In 
an angle, between the walls of Saint Dominic's is 



94 FOLLOWING THE CONQUERORS 

a belfry of practical kind beneath whose time- 
stained bells the priests were wont to teach their 
flocks. What eloquent tales of by-gone days the 
now^ listless tongues of those silent, venerable bells 
might tell ! Though silent now, these bells are not 
abashed; they stand out from the ruins facing the 
public street, as though waiting for the touch of 
the vanished reverent hand that evoked such sweet 
music in the long ago 




St. Domtnic and Its Bells 



HTIO 6 



s 



